People, not pixels
by Usernameistaken
Summary: Introvert. Anaemic. Loser. Anxious. She doesn't even know who she was, but now she's part of the Inquisition. Even if she has to change the plot, she's going to crack Solas' egg face and try to get back home. Modern person pulled into game, is now Trevelyan, was Lavellan - remembers how the Inquisition rises and wins. But it's much harder to re-enact in person.
1. Shiny begins

Fuck, right?

"Your world doesn't exist in my world – Thedas is a setting in a story!" She shouted, trying to hold the willowy mage staff with two hands, unused to the power it drew around her. It felt so strange.

"I did my part, I restored Thedas. I closed the breach, and united Orlais from civil war. I dedicated myself to making each member of my inner circle happy. I did it all, even bought the mystery box from that snobby vendor in Val Royeaux." She raved, throwing her arms in the air. The snow around them left the air biting, and unpleasant. The rough clothes were patchy and itched. It was nothing like home.

Cassandra had half a mind to shackle this prisoner for her own safety. She was clearly deranged.

"I keep telling you, I am not from here. I am from a similar world. A world where I already know how the story is going to play out. How I got here, or why I am here, I don't know. You see, the world I am from, we indulge in these stories to make them our own. Like how you read a book, and you wish to be in that world. Thedas isn't my world, but I know a lot about it." Evelyn pleaded, trying to get someone to understand.

Cassandra wouldn't doubt that she didn't fit in here. She looked completely untrained for battle, like she'd never picked up a staff before. She looked awkward, out of place, shuffling and moving rigidly. Young, maybe early twenties, reaching a meagre 5 foot, she could almost be mistaken for a tall, clumsy dwarf. She did not look like a murderer of the Divine at all. Her hair was messy, blonde falling out of place from a small ponytail, her face dirty and smudged with ash, mud and some kind of foul smelling grit. Evelyn could barely keep up with a soldiers' stride, let alone sprint.

How this girl was meant to close the breach was beyond the Seekers' guess. She looked like a scullery maid, or some bookshop apprentice. Nothing particularily special about her. No toned muscles, no hidden secret winning tactic to save us all. Cassandra hated babysitting.

How was Evelyn supposed to explain to a character how she belongs in a different…well, dimension? She knew nothing of real combat, she barely exercised. She was isolated from her peers in the real world because she was too weird for them, she became an outcast. Short, blunt, and not ladylike at all. It was difficult for people to look past her flaws. She wasn't ugly, or mean, per se – just painfully average to everyone else. There was always someone better than her to get the job done. As her isolation grew, she became more reserved, more invested in this world where she could finally choose to be the hero. Then all this crap happened.

Any fan of the series would recognise the infamous green scar on their hand. This girl in particular was an avid fan of anything Dragon Age related. She could spot Cassandra from a crowd based purely on her accent. Too bad her favourite characters seemed to hate her guts right now.

"I know it sounds crazy. All I know is I finished the story, but it went wrong. There was something that happened at the end which wasn't supposed to." She stopped walking. "It's really important that we stop that ending from happening, I think that's why I'm here."

Cassandra looked at the prisoner with anger. What sort of jumped up privileged mage would make such poor tasting jokes in the face of the rifts and breach?

"We?!" Cassandra splurted out. This mage was speaking absolute nonsense.

The young mage just nodded.

"You are speaking of such strange things, you must have hit your head much harder than Solas claims" Cass began to walk, leading Evelyn to the torn fabric in the sky. They were yet to explain this all to Leliana, filling the silence with peculiar discussion.

"I get it, it's weird. Trust me, I know. But, uh… I-I can prove it, I guess?" She shrugged. It was met with a harsh scowl from Cassandra. The older woman was having none of it.

"You will close the breach, then we will have you _**prove**_ your case to the courts of Orlais." The Seeker stated, ending the discussion.

Evelyns' heart sank. She felt destitute, alone and abandoned. She turned her game off, unplugged it at the wall. It wasn't real. All those decisions she made, good, bad, tasteless, charitable, kind, cruel… It wasn't real. They were just images on a screen, all make believe.

She definitely wasn't dreaming, though.

Ugh, it was frustrating. Her name wasn't really Evelyn, she doesn't really remember what it was. Here, she was Evelyn Trevelyan. She was a mage. But one thing she did know was that she didn't belong here. She belonged in the modern age. The modern age where she

See, this girl was just a normal girl. Had her classes for her studies, had a small weekend job, played video games, et cetera. For now, she'd walk with Cassandra towards Leliana and the Chancellor – hopefully finding some clues as to how she got here. Many, many different ideas ran through her head, none of them plausible.

"I need help, Cassandra – I shouldn't be here. I keep telling you-"

"You fell into the mirror. I know, you've told me. Over and over" Cassandra droned, tired of this conversation. Ever since Evelyn awoke, she claimed this ridiculous story.

Maybe if Cassandra told the Chancellor how this girl was clearly unstable, they'd make her execution painless and quick. This whelp of a mouse child posed more risk to herself than anyone else.

Once near a small contingent of soldiers fighting demons, Evelyn saw it up close.

First, there was a piercing tear in her eardrum, splitting and spiteful. That was the echoing scream of a demon.

Secondly, there was a powerful reverb in the ground. Demons didn't walk, their essence dragged across the soil, ripping their tethers to the fade. It made the floor vibrate with anger.

Last, there was the image of an oozing, burning mass of rage. It darted towards her, blistering heat radiating and cooking Evelyn's' skin despite it's distance. Fear took hold of the weak girl. Beforehand, Cassandra had made her fall back to safety. Evelyn hadn't used her magic. Well, she did when she played the game, but not in this world, where she had to really summon it.

' _How do I cast?! Do I think it or will it? O-Or do I-?'_ Evelyn couldn't think, she couldn't move. Her feet felt as if they were magnetised to the ground – her legs unresponding. Fear caught her, and all she could do was stare forward in anticipation at the hollow, scorching blank 'eye' holes of a demon – hungry for destruction. Its limbs slashed forward, lunging its' body towards her at frightening pace, trying to grasp at any flesh it could tear. Before Evelyn could finish her thought, the creature stood still, a short few steps away from her, for a fraction of a moment, then was ensnared in a white mist. It only took a second for the mist to form into a solid, plate-like form, then shatter as if it were fragile glass.

A tall, pale and wise elf seemed to be the culprit behind the focused spell. Evelyn looked over with timid eyes, shaking from her ordeal of almost becoming a demons' snack.

' _Solas'_ She thought. She was relieved that he was as good with magic as she remembered in her game, but she was terrified that the once proud dragon slayer, saviour of the breach, was nothing but a useless non-combat member of this 'team'.

Despite the middle of battle, she couldn't help but remember the twist at the end of the game, looking at Solas with new eyes. He was truly meant to be more than he appeared, but all she saw at the moment was a skilled mage. Albeit a smug git, but a competent man regardless.

Well, she could admit she was still a little sore from her previous experience with Solas, being Lavellan and all loving and doting beforehand. The raw experience of mortality and incoming death from all sides quickly refocused her attention.

Which means Varric is close by.

Evelyn turned her head, searching the battleground for the small fable teller, having fond memories of him. She wanted that safe feeling again. Cassandra was too busy fighting the demons at the centre of the area, slicing and cutting through the demons as if they were sacks of gushy meat – innards and toxic sludge being tossed about by her skilled blade.

Evelyn urged her feet to move, moving towards a dwarf with the trademark crossbow. She sucked air in, before she held her breath and ran towards him. As needles ran through the muscles in her arms and legs, she was working with pure adrenaline and not wanting to die. With that thought, a shimmering blue film enveloped her skin – cooling, but tingly. It made her feel a little safer, but it was a new feeling.

She's not sure if she cast barrier by accident and not wanting to get hurt, or Solas looked on her with pity.

Either way, she kept running to the side of the remaining shards of icy rage demon mess, towards Varric.

Covering her impending arrival, the dwarf shuffled around her to keep the kid safe. She promptly stopped and performed a double take, noticing how a shade was crawling from the gash in the air a few meters from her head.

Heart pounding, she was terrified and furious. She wanted to go home. She was aching, hurting, and she had enough. Evelyn didn't like it here, it was more fun when she didn't fear death so profusely.

Glaring at the rift, her fingertips tingled with a spark of defiance towards the shade. Her teeth grit together, she couldn't help but feel like it was the demons' fault for her being cold, tired, confused. Focusing on that evil prick, she felt a strong pulse from her gut, to her arms. The force was that of someone hitting a bone reflex and eliciting a jog of your limbs as a reaction. Her hands shot forward involuntarily, and the current flowed through, prickling her veins as it passed.

She saw bright thin strips and bursts of white shoot from her hands, making short work of the now electrified shade. It fell to the ground, limp and defeated.

Evelyn didn't breathe. She couldn't believe what she had done. Her skin prickled, as if she had an uncomfortable rash, but the knowledge that she did that filled her freezing skin with a flush of pride and embarrassment. It was crazy to think that she did magic, true magic. It's just fairy tale stuff.

Despite her astonished state, Cassandra, Solas and Varric managed to dispatch the other enemies. Evelyn was too engrossed at looking at her hands, capable of something new, staring at the green stripe across her palm. It began to glow again. Magic seemed to slowly pour from it like wispy glittering fog, gently rolling over her skin. It was cold, but also invigorating.

She didn't realise Solas spoke until he took her wrist and raised it towards the sky. Cassandra quickly took a step back, not sure what to expect. Mages, though, she was certain were out of her expertise.

' _o-oh. Of course'_ Evelyn thought, feeling a little shame that she was so enraptured at her hands whilst her friends were in danger.

It felt like the rift was being pulled into her hand. Like someone was pouring cool water over a fresh cut to clean it. It felt as if something was being drawn in, her veins protested the new arrival, but the magic within her palm demanded the stream of the fade be collected. After a few moments, Evelyn could feel how solid the tear had become, and she could slam it shut, like a door, or folding a heavy piece of fabric. Ripping her hand away, she pulled a piece of the fade over the wound, sealing it shut.

It was heavier than she expected, and drew her breath from her lungs with force. Evelyn gasped to calm her burning flesh with air, almost choking on the unnatural feel of the fade around her.

Evelyn felt a rush, though. She felt overjoyed she was able to close the tear, ecstatic she lived with minor issues. But then reality dawned on her. Before her was Solas. Before, she - ashamedly- felt strongly towards this fade geek. But knowing what was to come scared her as to what this man was before her. What he was capable of, it was too much for her to come to terms with that she was face to face with someone she thought of as a close friend, or even a virtual romantic interest. Which, to her isolated state, was a big deal. Sad, but she stands by that this man wounded her heart in her game.

"What did you do?" She asked, unsure of how he was meant to answer that. It felt like the right thing to say to him.

"I did nothing." He calmly stated in return, gesturing to the mage infront of him. "The credit is yours."

Evelyn then realised that he misinterpreted her meaning, looking back to her mark on her hand. Her and Solas can be discussed later.

"You..mean this?" She asked, lifting her fade-linked hand.

"Whatever magic opened the breach in the sky also placed the mark upon your hand." Solas explained. Evelyn knew better, she knew it was Corepheus' foci which marred her skin. She scowled as he continued.

"I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the breach's wake – and it seems I was correct." He lightly spoke, with expertise and knowing. Unbeknownst to him, Evelyn was almost just as knowing, and had the upper hand this time. She knew some more of the truth than her naïve playthrough beforehand. She demanded to have answers, but they can wait until privacy.

"Meaning it could also close the breach itself." Cassandra had walked towards the two, hopeful for the ordeal to be over. Evelyn felt bad, Cassandra was a good woman, and placed their failures on her own shoulders personally.

"Possibly" Solas remarked. Evelyn would be lying if she didn't take smug satisfaction in watching Solas be uncertain. It may be spiteful and wrong of her, but she felt wronged by Solas. She wanted him to trust her, she felt so much admiration towards him before, but standing here now – no affection could make it's way to the surface, only bitter 'what-ifs'. Evelyn looked downcast, knowing that these feelings for fictional characters was probably unhealthy and the reason she didn't fit in back home.

"It seems you hold the key to our salvation." She felt a bittersweet smile sneak its' way onto her face. How she believed that once. This time was different. Surreal.

"Good to know! Here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons forever." A loveable accent slipped into the conversation. Now here was a character who was golden in Evelyns' mind. Was she glad to see Varric.

"Varric Tethras: rogue, storyteller, and occasionally unwelcome tagalong." He spoke, just as cheeky as Evelyn remembered. She smiled. A real, happy, loving smile to her friend. It felt nicer than just looking at a screen. Like he was looking right at her. She turned to see Cass grimace at his winking.

Varric was here, it was real.

"It's good to meet you, Varric" Evelyn grinned, unable to contain her joy. This was becoming very cool indeed. She didn't even recognise Solas making a joke at Varrics' expense. Evelyn just took in that she was really here – in Thedas. Infront of her was her funny friend, to her side was her most loyal role model, and behind is her fictional love – well, _**was**_.


	2. Step one

Ow.

She shifted her focus from the awkward bedframe to her weary limbs. All the girl could think of is how sore everything felt, like she had run for miles. At least she could just stay here, in bed. Her term of study had finished for the summer, and she wasn't due back until the autumn. Bliss, no disturbances.

Except, the bed felt a little too rigid. A godsend for achy legs, but it didn't feel very familiar.

She opened her eyes, to see a wooden roof. It looked sturdy, but not like her home. It troubled her that she couldn't remember exactly what her home looked like, but this definitely wasn't it. There were furs on the walls, decorative candles, books – this was very medieval-esque. All of this was no longer just a dream, it was the new reality for her.

On that thought, a nervous helper walked into the room, dropping the provisions at noticing Evelyns' awake state.

She was clearly shaken up, the way she bowed with reverence to Evelyn. This sat uncomfortably within her stomach, she didn't like how afraid this elf girl was. The human girl was picked on enough for being different back home, she'd never be mean to this girl.

Pushing the stray hairs out of her face and retying her style, she blinked a few times to survey the environment. Touching her face, there was no more dust or grime – someone had helped her. On that note, her clothes were different – more regal, more snug and warm.

' _I guess I've been promoted past prisoner'_ Evelyn smiled.

She quickly brushed off the elven girls' apologies with understanding. Evelyn knew this part, the girl would run to Cassanra – it would give her a chance to recollect herself and a moment to get to grips with this.

The moment was short lived, and the happiness faded. She looked at the telltale mark on her palm. It was proof to her that she still resided in the other realm, not the real world. Sadly, she turned her hand slightly to observe the peculiar slit of magic more closely. The unearthly green reflected onto her face, gently lighting up the surrounding wall and floor with a magic distil.

Asking if everyone was safe, the girl played her part beautifully and just as Evelyn remembered.

It was the strangest sense of déjà vu, but it was necessary to get to Cassandra and fix this whole debacle as quickly as possible. If that meant Evelyn had to run through the motions so she could get to Cassandra without fuss, then so be it.

As the girl left, Evelyn shifted her weight to stand. The poor mage almost fell over, underestimating the toll of three days' bedrest on untrained legs. Despite the protest her legs were crying out, she centred her balance and took a few steps, easing out the tension and tingly feeling within her toes. Her muscles well and truly were still asleep.

Evelyn did not expect this experience to feel so raw and, well, real. She knew she wouldn't be able to survive the events of this game in this state. Fear suddenly gripped her, worrying whether she can survive long enough to fall back into the mirror to go home. She can barely remember what home was, or who she was before. All that is here is 'Evelyn' and her knowledge of Thedas. Any other knowledge – modern history, skills or memories of any family – have all been clouded over.

The girl can recall she was studying, she worked, and she played videogames. The name of her studies, or where she worked were now lost to her. But she remembered how it made her feel – the true reality. She was lonely, a bit of a misfit. A weak thing, but she wanted to be kind, and have good friends.

Evelyn thought that it was this way on purpose. She was only meant to take certain knowledge with her on this journey. Like what happened with Solas at the end of the story. Maybe what he did was wrong, and Evelyn had been brought here to prevent him from pertrifying or hurting, or whatever he did, to Mythal. She was knowledgeable of Eluvians. Maybe falling through her mirror would take her home in return for Evelyn saving her life.

She nodded with determination at the notion. Surely she had been given a second chance to fix Thedas for good, and it might be her only way to get home.

Evelyn didn't know how she was brought into the game, but the only wronged party at the end of the game was Mythal. It had to be tied to that woman somehow.

Dressing to outdoor wear, Evelyn swiftly left the cabin, picking up a staff on her way out. It seems people were kind enough to retrieve the staff and items she had earlier. It felt strange balancing the willowy wood between her hands, but it felt study and light - like a long rod of bamboo.

She sighed.

Knowing how to fight- really fight – was going to take a lot of training and exercise. Painful, rigorous, exhausting exercise.

Crunching through the frosted paths leading to the Chantry, Evelyn decided she should organise such for herself. Cullen could help her work with the recruits. With a small wave to Threnn, leaving the woman confused as they'd not met yet, Evelyn scolded herself.

' _ **You remember them, they don't know you yet!'**_ She thought, chastising herself. On that note, she'd have to cool things over with Cassandra. Unnecessary questions or distractions from reaching Flemeth and stopping Solas could put her own plans on hold. Evelyn was already distraught at how little she remembered of her previous life, and every day, more was being lost.

It was then a shearing, slicing pain forced it's way behind her eyes. Evelyn let out a guttural screech, dropping her staff. It felt as if she'd been slashed across her face. She expected blood to gush forward as she fell. This was not pleasant. It felt raw, and biting. The flesh bitterly tingled, stung, with exposure to the air – flesh which should not have been cut open. Her hands clamped and clawed over her face, trying to keep her innards, well, in.

A few soldiers ran to help the mage, on her knees as she was. Looking through a clouded vision, her hands were clean. No blood. To be certain, she touched my face again. There was no wound. As a woman helped Evelyn to my feet, she heard another ask something. The girl didn't really hear it, she was breathing through the sensation, waiting for the pain to eventually dull.

That really hurt.

From standing, the weird pain began to subside. she thought hard about what that was about. All that ran through Evelyns' confused head was a battle here, soon. Haven in flames, destruction.

' _ **Not already, not so soon! I'm not ready for real danger just yet!"**_ Evelyn thought, barely escaping the last battle. Even then, she was unconscious for 3 days afterwards. __

It was unsettling. Scary, but familiar. She needed to talk to her advisors. Needed to understand what was happening. The only issue was that the more she spoke outside of what she remembered from her playthrough of the story, they reacted strangely. Not how she remembered them reacting like they did in the story. Opening the doors to the chantry, she strode inside

' _ **I need to be careful in how I bring it up'**_ She decided, shaking off the bad premonition, a reminder of impending doom she didn't need – she was aware of the destruction of Haven – it just felt like it's nearly here.

' _ **If I die here, does that.. – N-No, don't. Just… Step one, step two.'**_ Evelyn took a deep breath, bolstered her resolve, and walked towards the makeshift war room.

Evelyn stopped when she heard the yelling from the Chancellor. She remembered him, and how he felt about the situation, but to hear it for 'real' – it made her a little anxious, a little self conscious and exposed. She began to doubt herself, there was no way she could mimic the impossible feats her avatar did from before.

Despite the cloud of desperation and defeatist attitude cloaking Evelyn, she knew she had to power through it. With a timid expression, she poked her head around the door. She was never one for yelling and arguments, and she definitely didn't like they way they were all staring at her.

It was not fun anymore. It was scary.

"Chain her!" Roderick shouted, pointing accusingly. Evelyn felt dejected, and insulted. Even though she knew that Roderick was reasonable, and his intentions were good, the insult in the air still lingered.

Brushing it off, she walked towards the table as he continued.

"I want her prepared for travel to the Capital for execution!" He continued to order. Faithful Cassandra repeated her role as before, and defended Evelyn, shooing away the guards with a wave and a few calm words. It felt good for Evelyn knowing Cassandra will be more friendly from now on.

"I did everything I could to close the breach, it almost killed me!" Evelyn stressed, trying to get Roderick to see reason.

"Yet you live. A convienient result, insofar as you're concerned." He snided, not trusting the girl.

Evelyn scowled. She felt like these trials were hard enough without his whining.

"Have a _**care**_ , Chancellor. The breach is not the only threat we face." Cassandra warned, kindly offering Roderick a chance at civility before she lost her temper.

Leliana, cunning and perceptive, saw how Cassandra was close to battering a member of the Chantry, while the liberated prisoner looked as if she was to scream or break down in tears from the ordeal. Taking the advantage, the redhead spoke:

"Someone was behind the explosion at the conclave. Someone Most Holy did not expect." She began, hinting at a sinister reveal. "Perhaps they died with the others" She offered, looking towards Cassandra with sympathy. Short lived, as she glared at Roderick with accusation on her tongue.

"-or have allies that yet live."

Roderick raised his arms slightly in defence and disbelief at the heretical claim.

"- _ **I**_ -am a suspect?!" He claims, disrespect in his tone.

"You! And many others!" Leliana stated, clearly warning him that she is watching all advocates of 'good'.

"But not the prisoner?" He accused, pointing at Evelyn.

The blonde mage shrugged, feeling the weight of the decisions squarely handled by Leliana and Cassandra. She wasn't so scared of Roderick and his shouty voice anymore.

Evelyn took this as a moment to breathe and relax. The tension she felt was real. No one likes being yelled at, especially by those of a higher status. Roderick reminded Evelyn of a stern teacher who has caught you misbehaving. But Evelyn had done nothing wrong. She knows this.

Looking down, she steadied her pulse and understood that she must be careful. She very may be mortal in this world, and she needs to progress quite far to get to a working mirror. Even then, it would be best if she could talk to Flemeth, even warn her.

Evelyn didn't realise Cassandra had diffused the situation until she stated:

"Providence. The Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour." Cassandra looked at Evelyn – confident, so sure of herself. It inspired Evelyn, but also made her feel validated. Less lonely. Like someone was being nice to her.

Evelyn knew she was not the strongest or smartest girl, or even the prettiest. Why she would be special out of everyone was beyond her. She had few friends, was quite introverted, and was constantly criticized by her peers. The Maker wouldn't need her, everyone else would be more qualified.

But the way Cassandra declared it with strong faith, it made Evelyn want to believe that she could do this. That for once, she could be the winner, the hero – to be part of something.

"You really think the Maker would send someone like me?" A timid, vulnerable question.

"The Maker does as he wills, it is not for me to say." She states in return. It gave Evelyn hope.

Evelyn thought about this, it sparked something new in her. A new fire that she could do something great. A childlike adventurous nature which made her want to try. Cassandra slammed a book onto the table, and Evelyn knew that Roderick was about to be sassed by two of the most ruthless and wonderful women that Evelyn had so far met. Watching as Roderick retreated in defeat, Evelyn was excited to be a part of the Inquisition hype. The real one, where she can fight, and kill bad guys, and be awesome!

It was making her dizzy.


End file.
